1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to magnetic engine fluid conditioning systems, and in particular, to the incorporation of magnetic apparatus of a specific polarity to a combination of the fuel intake apparatus and air intake apparatus, the radiator inlet, the transmission housing, the gearbox housing, and the oil filter of an internal combustion engine system for the purpose of reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency.
2. Description of the Background
There is a great scientific and regulatory interest in emissions from motor vehicles such as: (1) unburned hydrocarbons that are almost entirely intact or broken down components of the fuel, (2) carbon monoxide (CO) which is a common byproduct of the combustion of complex hydrocarbons, and (3) oxides of nitrogen (NOx) which are typically the result of the combustion of impurities or additives in petroleum distillates. Unburned HC and NOx react in the atmosphere to form photochemical smog. Smog is highly oxidizing in the environment and is the prime cause of eye and throat irritation, bad odor, plant damage, and decreased visibility. Oxides of nitrogen are also toxic. CO impairs blood capability to carry oxygen to the brain, resulting in slower reaction times and impaired judgment.
There is great environmental concern with the production of these pollutants by motor vehicles, and regulatory standards for these pollutants have steadily become more stringent. Motor vehicle manufacturers are constantly refining car designs to reduce their emissions of these pollutants, with many of these refinements increasing the cost of the vehicle and compromising the weight and structural strength of the vehicle. Furthermore, no measure currently taken by motor vehicles manufacturers has any effect on the over 100 million registered vehicles already on the road in the United States, and uncounted tens of millions more elsewhere in the world.
This attention to the pollution of motor vehicles should in no way lessen concern about other internal combustion engines, such as farm equipment, electric generators, or lawn and gardening equipment. It is apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that a system that improves fuel efficiency and reduces emissions of motor vehicle engines is likely to be amenable to incorporation in any internal combustion engine having similar fuel intake, air intake, and exhaust systems. This class of engines includes, but is by no means limited to, engines of the Otto cycle, the Diesel cycle, and the Wankel cycle. It is further desirable that such a system be amenable to incorporation in internal combustion engines burning any variety of organic fuels, including but not limited to gasoline, diesel oil, and alcohol, as well as mixtures of the above.
An examination of the art reveals a number of magnetic devices which have been produced to enhance the operation of internal combustion engines by application of static magnets and electromagnetic principles. It is known that the use of permanent magnets on the fuel line of an automotive internal combustion engine for subjecting the fuel to a magnetic field will improve the performance of the engine. It also has been shown that subjecting incoming oxygen containing gas to a magnetic field will also increase combustion efficiency.
A review of the relevant prior art shows the use of magnets for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels in engines, thus demonstrating that the general principle is well known. By way of example:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,354 discloses the use of magnets to impose an electromagnetic field on flowing fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,621 teaches the use of magnets to impose a north magnetic field on the flowing oxygen containing gas to reduce unwanted emissions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,951 describes a system in which the fuel line is subject to a magnetic field with alternating poles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,262 discloses a fuel treating device in which both the incoming air and fuel are subject to longitudinal magnetic fields with alternating poles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,901 shows the use of magnets on a hydrocarbon fuel carrying duct for ionizing particles of the fuel, applying the south poles of the magnets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,271 describes the use of magnets to subject oil to a magnetic field to reduce the buildup of undesirable materials along the inside wall of the pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,288 discloses the use of magnets to subject fuel to a magnetic force field with alternating poles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,382 describes the use of magnets to impose a magnetic field on the fuel to an engine with both poles of the magnetic adjacent the fuel conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,512 has a helical array of magnets surrounding a fuel carrying conduit to concentrate the magnetic field on the flowing fluid.
None of the preceding patents teaches the present invention. In particular, the application of a magnet of known polarity to the fuel tank in the vicinity of the interface of the fuel tank and the fuel line is not disclosed. Furthermore, the use of flexible magnets such as ferromagnetic ceramic magnets is not disclosed. Also, a magnet applied to the air filter casing as opposed to the air inlet duct is not disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,807 to the inventor of the present invention discloses an effective but less optimal version of the present invention. In particular, the application of a magnet of known polarity to the fuel tank in the vicinity of the interface of the fuel tank and the fuel line is not disclosed. Furthermore, the combination of flexible magnets such as ferromagnetic ceramic magnets of cross section narrower than the diameter of the fuel line with a flexible attaching member are not disclosed. Also, a magnet applied to the air filter casing as opposed to the air inlet is not disclosed.
In light of the foregoing, it is therefore highly desirable to achieve further improvements in fuel efficiency and lower emissions by the application of magnetic fields to internal combustion engine systems to both the fuel and the air being delivered to the engine. There is a further need to reduce emissions of an internal combustion engine of automotive type by subjecting the exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold entering the catalytic converter and the exhaust gas in the catalytic converter to magnetic fields adjacent opposite poles of one or more magnets. There is a further need to make such a system amenable to installation and maintenance in both newly manufactured vehicles as well as existing vehicles. There is a further need to make such a system amenable to installation and use in a variety of internal combustion cycles burning a variety of different fuels.
Furthermore, it is likewise desirable to provide a combination of magnetizing apparatus that, in conjunction with air and fuel magnetizing apparatus, will improve engine efficiency by introducing a magnetic charge to engine exhaust, coolant water, engine oil, transmission fluid, and gear box fluid, in combination with the above embodiment.